Multi-purpose intelligent cradle for a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a mobile device cradle for a vehicle. The cradle may include docking members for receiving a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle. The cradle may also include a face recognition means for periodically capturing a face of the driver, environmental conditions, and traffic conditions. Further, the cradle may include an authentication unit for authenticating the mobile device and the face of the driver captured by the face recognition means and for providing an authentication signal for starting the vehicle to an electronic engine control unit (EECU). Furthermore, the cradle may include an information collection unit for collecting dynamic information associated with the driver and the vehicle from monitoring units. Moreover, the cradle may also include a communication unit for communicating the dynamic information to back office system(s) communicatively coupled to the mobile device via a wireless communication network.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]Benefit is claimed to India Provisional Application No. 662 / CHE / 2010, entitled “MULTIPURPOSE INTELLIGENT CRADLE AND METHOD THEREOF” by G. B. S. Bindra, et Al., filed on Mar. 12, 2010, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to vehicle accessories, and more particularly relates to a mobile device cradle for a vehicle.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Today, intelligent monitoring and communication system plays a vital role, as there is a requirement for capturing various parameters related to an appliance such as vehicle and transmitting such parameters to back office systems over communication medium for further processing. In the intelligent transportation system, measuring various parameters related to the vehicle is required for intelligently taking various actions on the vehicle.[0004]Conventionally, the automobile manufacturers provide the facility in the vehicle...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a multi-purpose intelligent cradle for a vehicle. The cradle includes docking members for receiving a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle. The cradle also includes a face recognition means for periodically capturing the face of the driver, environmental conditions, and traffic conditions. Further, the cradle includes an authentication unit for authenticating the mobile device and the face of the driver captured by the face recognition means and for providing an authentication signal for starting the vehicle to an electronic engine control unit (EECU). Additionally, the cradle includes an information collection unit for collecting dynamic information associated with the driver and the vehicle from monitoring units. The mobile device cradle coupled to the monitoring units collects the dynamic information associated with at least one of the driver and the vehicle. The system further includes at least one server communicatively coupled to the mobile device cradle for receiving the dynamic information from the mobile device cradle via the mobile device. The system also includes an EECU coupled to the mobile device cradle via an interface for receiving a signal from the mobile device cradle upon authentication of the driver, where the EECU is configured to start the engine of the vehicle based on the signal.

Problems solved by technology

Further, getting various parameters from OBD units and transferring the values to a back office system requires additional devices within the vehicle.

This adds additional cost to the vehicle owner's or those who are interested to get said values in the back office for further processing.

The major costs here are due to various on board equipments that need to be fitted within the vehicle for capturing different parameters and the cost for communication from each of these devices, particularly wireless communication such as SMS, GPRS etc.

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